venerdì 27 novembre 2015

Shakespeare's Marriage

web source
On 27 November 1582, the Episcopal register of Worcester shows the marriage of a young William Shakespeare and a woman named Anne.
Actually there are two different documents about the event. They have long been a matter of debate over who really Shakespeare was taking as a wife. The dispute was between Anne Whately and Anne Hathaway both indicated in two different marriage licenses.
Although many people considers Whateley as simply clerical error, someone says that the event refers to two different marriages or even Shakespeare wanted to marry Anne Whateley but was forced to take as his wife Anne Hathaway because she was pregnant.
Certainly is that after six months from the date of this marriage, Anne gave birth to their first daughter, Susanna.
A mystery about this marriage is also the place were it was held: Temple Grafton insted of Stratford probabily for reason of privacy.
Are they two different marriages? Unlikely because there wasn't any Skakespeare relatives living in Temple Grafton. Or wish young William to get married with the daughter of a friend of his father and not with who became really his wife?
Of course we don't know the correct answer but is it true that the minor William married Anne Hathaway who at age 26 was carrying a child.
Was It a true love? We don't know but one of Shakespeare's sonnets (number 145) appears to refer to Anne Hathaway, the words "hate away" may be a play on words (in Elizabethan pronunciation) with the last name "Hathaway".
After the wedding, Anne left the family home and the couple moved into the Henley Street where the poet was born and spent their first five years of marriage.





Il 27 Novembre del 1582, un registro episcopale di Worcester riporta il matrimonio tra un giovanissimo William Shakespeare una donna di nome Anne.
In realtà ci sono due differenti documenti a riguardo il cui contenuto è stato a lungo motivo di dibattito sul chi davvero Shakespeare stava prendendo in moglie. La contesa era tra Anne Whately e Anne Hathaway entrambe indicate in due diverse licenze di matrimonio.
Sebbene l’opinione più concorde dichiara che Whateley fu semplicemente un errore clericale, qualcuno afferma che l’evento si riferisce a due differenti matrimoni o che addirittura Shakespeare volesse sposare Anne Whateley ma fu costretto a prendere in moglie Anne Hathaway poiché quest’ultima era incinta.
Certo è che dopo sei mesi dalla data di questo matrimonio, Anne diede alla luce Susanna la loro prima figlia.
Un alone di mistero su questo matrimonio rimane anche il fatto che la coppia scelse come luogo del matrimonio Temple Grafton per ragioni di privacy  e non Stratford. 
E se invece si trattava di due matrimoni differenti ? O addirittura che fosse desiderio del giovane convolare a nozze con la figlia di un amico del padre e non con quella che diventò realmente sua moglie? 



Qualsiasi sia la risposta esatta certo è che il giovane William all’epoca ancora minorenne sposa Anne Hathaway che all’età di 26 anni portava in grembo una sua creatura.
Fu amore? Poco si conosce, ma forse il giovane non amava troppo la moglie (uno dei sonetti di Shakespeare, il numero 145, pare faccia riferimento ad Anne Hathaway; le parole "hate away" - in italiano "odio via"- potrebbero essere un gioco di parole (nella pronuncia elisabettiana) con il cognome "Hathaway". 
Dopo il matrimonio, Anne lasciò la casa si famiglia e la coppia si trasferì in quella a Henley Street ove il poeta era nato.


Anne Hathaway (?) by by Sir Nathaniel Curzon, 1708
source

Who was Anne Hathaway?
She was born in Shottery a small village just to the west of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, in 1556. She married Shakespeare when she was carring her first child Susanna in May 1583. In 1585 she gave birth two more children, the twins Hamnet and Judith. She lived in Statford with shakespeare's family in Henkey Street for over a decade. She outlived her husband by seven years. She died in 1623 and she is buried close to her husband at Stratford's Holy Trinity church. 
Her personality and relationship to Shakespeare have been the subject of much speculation by historians and creative writers.

Chi era Anne Hathaway?
Nacque a Shottery, un piccolo villaggio vicino Stratford nel 1556. Sposò Shakespeare a 26 anni incinta della loro prima figlia Susanna nata nel  maggio 1583. Nel 1585 diede alla luce altri due figli, i gemelli Hamnet e Judith. Visse a Statford con la famiglia di Shakespeare in Henkey Street per oltre un decennio. Anna morì sette anni dopo il marito nel 1623 e fu sepolta accanto a lui nella chiesa della Santissima Trinità di Stratford.
La sua personalità e il rapporto di Shakespeare sono state oggetto di molte speculazioni da storici e scrittori creativi.



Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Stratford-upon-Avon

I've been to Stratford-upon-Avon in April. It was a beautiful visit. The Elizabethan atmosphere is everywhere in this charming town on the River Avon.
These are some photos taken at Shakespeare's house. It was a beautiful and exciting tour. 
Walk through  his life places it was like a journey in the past to know his daily life.
It is an honor for us to read his works where poetry is undisputed sovereign of all!!

Ho visitato Stratford upon avon  lo scorso aprile. E' stata una visita bellissima. L'atmosfera elisabettiana è ancor parte di questa affascinante cittadina affacciata sul fiume Avon.
Queste sono alcune foto scattate nella casa di Shakespeare. E' stato un tour davvero emozionante!. Ripercorrere i luoghi di vita del grande genio è come entrare nella sua epoca ed osservare un poco della sua vita quotidiana...


The entrance from the gardens
Shakespeare’s Birthplace, as seen from the Gardens

 Inside the house...




The dining room... 




Throught a window...


The bedroom...





Other rooms...




I recently saw an interesting BBC documentary. I've enjoyed it very much!. If you wish to watch it on line the following is you tube link. Have a nice time!:)

Di recente ho visto questo interessante documentario della BBC. A me è piaciuto molto!. Vi allego il link qualora abbiate voglia di vederlo. Buona visione!:)


Shakespeare's Mother The Secret Life of a Tudor Woman 
BBC Documentary 2015


   

mercoledì 25 novembre 2015

Thanksgiving Poem

Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a time to give thanks for the harvest and of the preceding year. Today, Thanksgiving means spending time with family and friends over a large feast. 

Il Giorno del Ringraziamento è il quarto Giovedì del mese di novembre. E' un momento per rendere grazie del raccolto appena concluso. Oggi Ringraziamento significa passare del tempo con la famiglia e gli amici in una grande festa. 


Lydia Maria Child, born on February 11, 1802, in Medford, Massachusetts, was a novelist, journalist, teacher, and poet. She was best known for her books on domestic life and racial equality and her work as an abolitionist to eliminate slavery. She died on October 20, 1880.
"Over the River and Through the Wood", is a Thanksgiving poem that celebrates the author's childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather's House. 



Lydia Maria Child, nacque l' 11 febbraio 1802, a Medford, Massachusetts. Fu una scrittrice, giornalista, insegnante e poetessa. E' conosciuta anche per i suoi libri sulla vita domestica e l'uguaglianza razziale e per il suo impegno come un abolizionista della schiavitù. Morì il 20 ottobre 1880.
"Over the River and Through the Wood" è una poesia del Ringraziamento che celebra i ricordi d'infanzia dell'autrice durante le sue visite alla casa del nonno.



Over the river, and through the wood,
To Grandfather's house we go;
the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
through the white and drifted snow.



Over the river, and through the wood,
to Grandfather's house away!
We would not stop for doll or top,
for 'tis Thanksgiving Day.



Over the river, and through the wood—
oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose
as over the ground we go.



Over the river, and through the wood—
and straight through the barnyard gate,
We seem to go extremely slow,
it is so hard to wait!



Over the river, and through the wood—
When Grandmother sees us come,
She will say, "O, dear, the children are here,
bring a pie for everyone."


Over the river, and through the wood—
now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!



Over the river, and through the wood,
with a clear blue winter sky,
The dogs do bark, and children hark,
as we go jingling by.



Over the river, and through the wood,
to have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding!",
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!



Over the river, and through the wood,
no matter for winds that blow;
Or if we get the sleigh upset
into a bank of snow



Over the river, and through the wood,
to see little John and Ann;
We will kiss them all, and play snow-ball
and stay as long as we can.


Over the river, and through the wood,
trot fast, my dapple-gray!
Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound!
For 'tis Thanksgiving Day.



Over the river, and through the wood,
Old Jowler hears our bells.
He shakes his pow, with a loud bow-wow,
and thus the news he tells.





giovedì 5 novembre 2015

Bonfire Night

 Bonfire Nigh by Molly Brett
In Great Britain, Bonfire Night is associated with the tradition of celebrating the failure of Guy Fawkes' actions on 5 November.
The night commemorates deliverances from Robert Catesby's unsuccessful plot to blow up with gunpowder the King, House of Lord and House of Commons this day in 1605. 
The Gunpowder Plot aimed to paralyse government by blowing up the king and the Parliament while in session. The conspirancy was revealed and many Chatolics were put to death .
An Act of Parliament designated each 5 November as a day of thanksgiving for "the joyful day of deliverance", and remained in force until 1859. Although he was only one of 13 conspirators, Fawkes is today the individual most associated with the failed Plot
A bonfire, fireworks and torchlight procession are traditional on this night and effigy of Guy Fawkes is burned on the fire.




In Gran Bretagna, la notte dei falò (Bonfire Night) è associata alla Congiura delle polveri (The Gunpowder Plot) del 1605, un complotto progettato da un gruppo di cattolici inglesi a danno del re Giacomo I d'Inghilterra.
Il complotto ideato da Robert Catesby prevedeva di far esplodere la camera dei lord e di uccidere così il re ed il suo governo durante la cerimonia di apertura del Parlamento inglese, lo State OpeningIl complotto fu sventato da una misteriosa lettera che ne rivelò l'esistenza al re. Una legge del Parlamento designò ogni 5 novembre come giorno di ringraziamento e rimase in vigore fino al 1859. Anche se fu solo uno dei 13 cospiratori, Fawkes è rimasto il principale ideatore della congiura.
Falò, fuochi d'artificio e fiaccolate sono tradizionali in questa notte che prevede che l'effigie di Guy Fawkes sia bruciata sul fuoco.